Abstract

This article theorizes media as a constitutive media space in the process of diasporic identity formation, integrating three interrelated dimensions: symbolic space, discursive space, and mnemonic-affective space. In contrast to approaches that conceptualize media primarily as channels of connection or repositories of pre-existing symbols, the article foregrounds digital media as a socio-technical environment in which identity does not simply “enter platforms to be expressed” but is generated through symbolic operations, discursive negotiations, and mnemonic-affective practices. Drawing on a Critical Interpretive Synthesis (CIS) of research on migration and media published from 2016 onwards, the article proposes a three-dimensional theoretical framework that elucidates the co-constitution of diasporic identity across symbolic, discursive, and mnemonic-affective dimensions under conditions of platformization and algorithmic media. The innovation of this framework lies in placing the mechanism of visibility at its analytical core: visibility is conceptualized as the likelihood of symbols, voices, and memory objects “being seen, heard, or archived” within the ranking, recommendation, and moderation systems, as well as the engagement metrics of social media platforms. On this basis, the article advances five empirically testable propositions to guide future empirical research and discusses potential points of intervention for digital heritage preservation and community-based communication strategies in multi-platform media environments.